US embassy cable - 03VATICAN5666

C O N F I D E N T I A L  VATICAN 005666 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/WE LEVIN; NEA/RA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/18/2013 
TAGS: IZ, PHUM, PREL, VT 
SUBJECT: CARDINAL'S IRAQ COMMENTS CREATE DUST-UP 
 
REF: A. VATICAN 5643 
     B. VATICAN 5321 
 
Classified By: Amb. Jim Nicholson for reasons 1.5 (b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) During the presentation of the Pope's World Day of 
Peace message December 17 (ref a), Cardinal Renato Martino, 
President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, 
caused a stir with comments critical of U.S. treatment of 
Saddam Hussein following his capture.  Media gave wide 
attention to Martino's assertion that he felt "compassion" 
for Saddam and that the U.S. had treated him "like a cow" by 
filming and displaying his medical examination.  Many media 
mistakenly suggested that this first public reaction to the 
arrest of Saddam by a Vatican official reflected an official 
Vatican view.  The Ambassador registered U.S. concern with 
Martino's characterization with Vatican Foreign Minister 
Lajolo, and in writing to Secretary of State Sodano.  A 
number of senior officials, including former FM Tauran, have 
conveyed their displeasure with Martino's comments to the 
Ambassador.  Martino was outspoken in his opposition to the 
Iraq war, and had to be reigned in earlier this year. 
Embassy has urged the Holy See to clarify its official view 
to repair the public impression generated by Martino's 
ill-advised comments.  End Summary. 
 
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Martino Sounds Off 
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2.  (C) During the presentation of the Pope's World Day of 
Peace message December 17 (ref a), Cardinal Renato Martino, 
President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, 
whose responsibility it is to present the annual message to 
the media, caused a stir with several off the cuff comments 
critical of U.S. actions connected to the arrest of Saddam. 
Martino, the former Holy See Permanent Observer at the UN in 
New York, had been outspoken in his criticism of U.S. policy 
in the run-up to the Iraq war, often diverging from the more 
moderate and nuanced views of the Pope.  Though at that time 
a private rebuke from then Foreign Minister Tauran may have 
quieted Martino, yesterday's occasion presented the 
opportunity for him to grab some headlines again, offering 
the first substantial reaction by a Vatican official to the 
capture and detention of Saddam. 
 
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"Treated like a Cow" 
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3.  (SBU) While Martino allowed that the Holy See "hopes this 
capture . . . may contribute to the pacification and 
democratization of Iraq," he also voiced displeasure at the 
broadcast of TV images showing a bedraggled Saddam undergoing 
a medical examination shortly after his detention.  "What 
caused me pain was seeing this ruined man, treated like a cow 
whose teeth are being examined.  They could have spared us 
those pictures," he said.  "I felt compassion for him." 
Martino described Saddam as "a man of tragedy," with heavy 
responsibilities for the crimes he committed.  Martino added 
several negative comments on the war, saying that "it would 
be illusory to think that (the capture of Saddam would) 
repair the damage caused by that great defeat for humanity 
which war always represents."  In remarks more reflective of 
the Holy See's general outlook on events, the Cardinal added 
that the Vatican wanted Saddam to receive a fair trial for 
alleged crimes during his long dictatorship.  He said that, 
as in other cases, the Vatican is opposed to the death 
penalty in this instance. 
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Media Picks up Martino's Rant 
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4.  (SBU) Martino's comments trumped the release of the World 
Peace Day message  -- certainly not good form to upstage a 
Papal message --  and received prominent play in the media. 
Most media, rather than highlighting the Pope's message 
calling for an international effort to update international 
legal mechanisms to deal with problems posed by terrorism, 
highlighted the Vatican "rebuke" to the U.S. and its 
"compassion" for Saddam.   The Vatican's official newspaper, 
while highlighting the attacks that folowed the arrest, also 
said that the dictator's detention widened the prospects for 
an era of peace, justice and normal life in Iraq.  The 
Italian Bishops' Conference daily Avvenire's front-page 
headline, "Safer with Saddam in Shackles," reflected the now 
 
oft-enunciated relistic position on Iraq (ref b) of the 
Pope's Viar for Rome, Cardinal Camillo Ruini.  (Note: As 
resident of the Italian Bishops Conference, Ruini is 
responsible for the editorial tone of Avvenire. End note.) 
 
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Ambassador Registers Complaint with Vatican MFA 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
5.  (C) Folowing Martino's outburst, the Ambassador met with 
Holy See Foreign Minister equivalent Giovanni Lajolo December 
17 to register U.S. displeasure with Martino,s comments. 
The Ambassador said the characterization of poor treatment of 
Saddam was simply untrue, and the Cardinal's statements had 
served both to obscure the Pope's World Peace Day message and 
to confuse the U.S. government and public about who was 
speaking for the Vatican.  He noted that media had widely 
reported the remarks as Vatican comments, and showed Lajolo a 
copy of a New York Times article reprinted in the 
International Herald Tribune. 
 
6.  (C) Lajolo was deferential, but surprisingly unmoved by 
the Ambassador's concerns.   He described Martino,s comments 
as personal views, adding that it was the media,s job -- and 
that of the U.S. Embasy -- to be sure the public and USG 
were aware ofthe distinction between a personal statement 
andan official statement from the Holy See.  He was nt 
receptive to the Ambassador,s suggestion that te Vatican 
ought to release an official statementon Saddam,s capture, 
in order to be clear who was speaking for the Vatican, and 
resolve any confusion on the Holy See,s position.  Lajolo 
said the better idea was to "let the matter drop" and not 
continue the controversy.  He went on to say that he agreed 
that the images of Saddam should not have been broadcast as 
they had been.  According to Lajolo, the U.S. had not treated 
Saddam "as a person and as a former head of state" should be 
treated, his previous crimes notwithstanding.  (Note: The 
Vatican made similar protests when captured troops, and 
bodies of slain U.S. soldiers were displayed by Iraqis during 
the war. End note). 
 
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Fallout May Continue 
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7.  (C) In conversations with Vatican contacts December 17, 
the Ambassador learned that there was substantial 
dissatisfaction with Martino's remarks within the Curia. 
Many disagreed sharply with the content of the comments, and 
also questioned the appropriateness of Martino's airing them 
to the media -- and stealing the limelight from the Pope's 
World Peace Day message.  We also learned that Martino's 
Justice and Peace Council has been receiving numerous faxes 
and e-mails complaining about the Cardinal's statement. 
Former Foreign Minister Tauran (protect), who since the Iraq 
War has stepped into a less visible position but still has 
pull in the Vatican, told the Ambassador he was incensed with 
Martino's display, and surprised at Lajolo's reaction to the 
affair.  The Ambassador has communicated with Secretary of 
State Sodano on the matter (text of letter faxed to EUR/WE) 
and plans to see him in person next week. 
 
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Comment: What's Going on Here? 
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8.  (C) Cardinal Martino, long a thorn in the U.S. side on 
war and peace issues (though a staunch ally in educating the 
public on genetically modified food), has likely been aching 
to get his two cents in on U.S. policy in Iraq since he was 
silenced in the run-up to the Iraq war.   Having been created 
a Cardinal in the meantime, and now presented with an 
opportunity to comment on the issue before the media, he 
could not resist.  A contact who works with Martino told us 
that he thought Martino was also smarting from having his 
draft of the Peace Day Message turnedback by the Secretariat 
of State as too inflammaory (ref a).  Faced with media 
questions as to wy the message had been changed, he may have 
been rying to save face, while getting some media play. 
 
9.  (C) Despite the perception of the Vatican breaucracy as 
high on authority and discipline --which is generally the 
case on religious issues - the reality is quite different 
when it comes topolitical matters.  With regard to the 
latter, mny Cardinals feel free to air their personal views 
and rarely face reprimand.  In this instance, the 
free-lancing has created a damaging public impression that 
some would like to see corrected.   While fellow Vatican 
officials are loathe to criticize one of their own, it is 
clear that many within the Curia find such ill-considered 
 
statements to the press to be a hindrance in promoting the 
Holy See's international goals.  We will continue to press 
this point with the Holy See in the hopes that Martino and 
others will seek a "Nihil Obstat" before opening their mouths 
on such sensitive issues in the future. 
 
10.   (U) Minimize considered. 
 
NICHOLSON 
 
 
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 2003VATICA05666 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL